THE PEOPLE ARE FED UP: PKR names the 'DALANGS' or master-minds behind Sedition crackdown

UPDATE3 PETALING JAYA - PKR leaders announced a nationwide anti-sedition tour to protest Prime Minister Najib Razak's alleged arbitrary use of an oppressive colonial law to suppress political rivals, academics and other critics of the government.

"If the government doesn't want the huge demonstrations that we mobilized during the Black 505 days (to protest electoral fraud), then they should immediately cease all sedition action against the Opposition, the academia, and even Perkasa, Isma," PKR strategy director and MP for Pandan Rafizi Ramli told a press conference at the party's HQ in Tropicana on Wednesday.

A recent series of high-profile arrests, including nine Members of Parliament, hit a raw nerve when University of Malaya law professor Azmi Shahrom was hauled up earlier this week and charged for Sedition over an article on the Selangor Mentri Besar crisis.

People are fed up, Latheefa expects HUGE TURNOUTS at Anti-Sedition Tour

The latest high-handed move brought to a boil already simmering public outrage, and spurred the UM student body and other social activists into planning mammoth demonstrations against the government for 'taking Malaysia backwards into the dark ages' .

Prime Minister Najib Razak's administration was soundly condemned for clipping freedom of expression and articulation of alternative views. In his comments, the well-respected Azmi had referred to the legal points raised by the judiciary following a coup d'etat staged by Najib's Umno-BN coalition in 2008 that had toppled the Pakatan Rakyat Perak state government.

"The Sedition law was passed by the colonial British government to control and silence the Malaysian people and now Umno-BN wants to use this on its own people," said MP for Subang Sivarasa Rasiah.

Rafizi also warned that protests would also be staged at the offices of the 'dalangs' or masterminds behind the recent spate of

Details of the tour stops, protests dates would be announced next week, Rafizi added.

Other PKR bigwigs who spoke in solidarity for those detained and 'victimized' were MP for Lembah Pantai Nurul Izzah, MP for Wangsa Maju Tan Kee Kwong, MP for Batu Tian Chua, MP for Padang Serai N Surendran, MP for Bukit Katil Shamsul Iskandar, prominent law professor Aziz Bari and PKR legal affairs director Latheefa Koya.

Rafizi names the 'DALANGS' or master-minds behind Sedition crackdowns

"At the end of the day I think the decision to charge is the Attorney General's decision and he has to be answerable for it.  And I think that Dato Seri Najib is the person who made a promise to 'rakyat' (populace) to repeal (the Sedition Act)....and the fact that this provocative assault against parliamentary democracy took place under his watch - he should be accountable as well.

"And I think the Home Minister and the IGP also have to be answerable because they are part and parcel of the latest decisions to haul as many people to court as possible under the guise of the Sedition Act," said Rafizi during the Q&A with the media.

If crackdowns continue, investors will lose confidence & the hit on economy will be seen in 4th quarter - Wong Chen

''The important thing that we probably missed out is the impact of the Sedition charges from the economic point of view. We have seen that the growth in the last 2 quarters and the third quarter is slowing down a bit but if this continues and the foreign media picks this up and also the fact that we are talking to the embassies, it will have a significant negative impact on investors confidence on the rule of law in Malaysia," MP for Kelana Jaya Wong Chen told the press conference.

''It is a direct assault on the rule of law that will have a negative economic impact which should manifest itself in the 4th quarter. So I would suggest to Najib and his technocrats to work very hard to stop these activities and to get a foothold on what fairness and justice is, if not for the sake of democracy and peace, also for the economic growth of the nation."

Out-of-ideas Umno using Sedition to sweep MPs out of Parliament - Kee Kwong

Deliberate doubletalk: Najib has no intention to keep Sedition promise - Surendran

'Dishonest' Najib using same law British colonialists used to bully, gag M'sians - Sivarasa

 - MORE TO COME - Malaysia Chronicle